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(No Mod-e1.)

G. T7 CHAPMAN.

HOOP EXPNDER.

Patented June 24, 1890,

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` UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, OF WHITE PLAINS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO VILLIAMHARVEY MERRITT, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

HOOF-EXPANDER,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,022, dated .Tune24, 1890.

Application filed May l, 1889. Serial No. 309,148. (No model.)

.T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at WVhite Plains, in the county of Vestchester and State ofNewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoof-EX-panders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists of an adjustable extension-plate of two partsadapted to range along the sole of the footfrom the heel nearly to' thetoe and having a pair of jointed struts on each part-one pair for theheel and the other pair for the forward part of the hoofall comprisingan expander forv use in correcting the deformities of feet that arearched unduly in the sole from heel to toe and also contracted at theheel. In some cases the toe-struts are dispensed with, all ashereinafter fully described, reference being made to the4 accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of the bottom of a foot andthe expander applied to it, with a part of the heel portion of theexpander broken oif. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same fromheel to toe, and of a barshoc, such as it is preferred to use to keepthe expander in place. The figure shows the arched sole. Fig. 3 is arear end view of the expander, foot, and shoe. Fig. 4 is a plan view,same as Fig. l, showing the heel-struts in the later period of the useof the expander, when they are mainly taking effect for expansion oftheheel. The extension-plate consists of the two short metal parts a andb, of approved length, breadth, and thickness, to apply to the bottom ofthe foot, as shown, a condition for adjusting lengthwise, one beingplaced on the other and connectedv by the studs c of one projectingthrough the slot d of the other, with the adjusting-screwcfitted to parta and bearing against the end of part 1J, suitably for eifecting theextension, the studs having heads to keep the two parts in contact, andthe part a having the laterallyprojecting arms f at the rear end.

The part a of the expanderis placed beneath part b, and has near therearend and on the upper side the heel-struts g, pivoted on it near thelongitudinal center of the plate, and so that they project laterallyover and are supported by the arms f of the plate the whole length oftheir lateral range, orV nearly so. The struts turn upward abruptly nearthe outer ends and terminate in short spurs t', one of which on eachstrut is engaged in the side of the hoof in the clefts of the heelalittle in advance of the rear angles of the hoof thereat when theattachment is first applied, as in Fig. l, the struts havingconsiderable inclination forward relatively to the h oof from theirpoints of Contact thereon in said igure. The part b of theextension-plate has toe-struts h similarly pivoted to it a little backof its forward end, but on the under side, which struts projecttherefrom laterally and forwardly, and are suitably perforated near theouter ends to be nailed at t" to the hoof, said ends being set inrecesses of the hoof iiush with the bottom, so that they make nointerference with the shoe j. The front end of the plate is at the sametime fitted to bear against the shoulder k, made in the sole of thefoot, so as to have a direct forward thrust on the toe of the sole,while struts h effect lateral expansion of the fore part of the hoof ashort distance back of the toe; but these struts are principally used incase of deficient sole-bearing fon the end of the plate and as anauxiliary means of holding the plate in place, and struts g effectlongitudinal extension of the sole and lateral expansion of the heel,the adj usting-screw e being shifted from time to time as the footyields to the treatment. As the sole elongates, the prongs fa' of theheel-struts not at first engaged with the heel swing backward and aroundthe angles m of the heel, so that the notches between the prongs embracethe angles of the heel, as shown in Fig. et, about when the properelongation of the sole has been produced, for better contact to deliverthe more lateral thrust, taking more laterally expansive effect as thestruts gradually assume that direction through the extension of theduplex extension-plates.

At the front end the expander is held in ICO position by the bite ot theend on the shoulder 7a of the sole, and by the struts h, attached to thehoof above the shoe, and at the rear said expander is mainly held inposition by the bar n of the shoe, on which the plate a rests; but it isalso held tosome extent by the prongs of the struts g.

The manner of connecting the two parts of the extension-plate and ofeffecting the extension may be varied at Will, and I do not limit myselfin these respects to the particular arrangement shown.

It will be seen that a foot arched in the sole so that it is shorterthan the normal condition, and also contracted at the heel,which isusually the case with such arched feet, may with this improved expanderbe effectually treated and restored to the proper form Without muchtrouble or care after the attachment of it to begin with, it being onlynecessary to occasionally shift the adjusting-screw.

When the sole is in good condition and affords substantial connection ofpart Z? of the expander by the shoulder 7c, the struts 7L may bedispensed with. They are mainly used to keep the front end in position.When the nature of the sole is such that the shoulder 7c is notreliable, Which is sometimes the case, owing to a decayed and'brittlecondition to which the soles are subject, these struts then serve,together with what resistance the shoulder 7c does afford, to producethe back-thrust on the heel-struts, Which is most important.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The improved hoof-expander consisting ot' the toe and heelextension-plate and the extending screw, said plate having heel-strutsjointed to the heel part, the toe end adapted to engage with the bottomof the sole back ot` the toe,while the heel-struts engage With the sidesof the hoof in the heel-elefts, substantially as described.

2. The improved hoof-expander consisting of the extension-plate havingthe front end adapted to engage the shoulder 7c in the sole of the foot,the toe-expanding struts adapted .to engage with the bottom of the hoofback of the toe, and the heel extending and expanding struts adapted toengage the sides of the hoof in the .heel-clefts, substantially asdescribed,

3. The improved hoof-expander consisting of the extension-plate havingthe laterallyprojecting strut-supporting arms of the heel part, the heelextending and expanding struts pivoted on the upper side, supported onsaid arms,.a nd having the upwardly-proj ected and pronged terminalsadapted to engage the sides of the hoof in the heel-clefts, saidextension-plate also having the toe-struts on the toe part of the same,substantially as described.

4. The improved hoof-expander consisting ofthe duplex extension-platehaving the toe and heel struts on the respective parts, said heel-strutshaving the upwardly-proj ected and pronged terminals adapted to firstengage the sides of the hoof in the heel-clefts near the angles of thesame by one of the prongs, and subsequently engage said angles in thenotch between the prongs through the change of the struts by theprogressive adjustment of the expander, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

I GEO. 4T. CHAPMAN.

'Witnesses:

W. J. MORGAN, A. P. THAYER.

